Agriculture suffers from entrenched negative perceptions amongst African youths. In the minds of many young Africans, farming is poor man’s work that involves backbreaking labor and insufficient financial gains.

Ten years ago, the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) established the a Youth Entrepreneurs program to change these perceptions and get more youths into agriculture. The aim was for this group of enterprising young individuals coming from diverse disciplinary backgrounds make young Africans see that agriculture can be an exciting and economically rewarding business venture, and convince investors to invest in Africa’s youth by showcasing their success stories.

IITA director-general Sanginga Nteranya has emphasized that developing agriculture was key to addressing Africa’s challenges. These challenges became even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The pandemic is underscoring what many have cautioned for years – that Africa’s economies need to depend less on exporting raw materials and do more to tackle the urgent issues of food insecurity, youth unemployment and poverty,” he wrote in an opinion piece on the Inter Press Service (IPS) international newswire last year. The key to resolving Africa’s food crisis was “youth engagement”, he said.

“Youth brings energy and innovation to the mix, but these qualities can be best channelled by young Africans themselves carrying out results-based research in agribusiness and rural development involving young people,” Nteranya said.

In 2018, 80 young researchers were recruited into the Enhancing Capacity to Apply Research Evidence (CARE) project. CARE combined mentoring with training in methodology, data analysis, and scientific writing to produce research evidence and recommendations for policymakers. Young and authoritative African voices in the agricultural sector have benefitted from this three-year project to jumpstart the farm-to-fork innovation needed on the continent.

The project, launched by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), sought to understand the factors influencing youth and women’s engagement in agribusiness and rural farm economies.

Throughout the project, valuable research, crucial to a continent facing a future with a population projected to double by 2050 amidst a worsening climate crisis, was carried out and published.

“Here in sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture contributes to nearly a quarter of GDP, and smallholder farmers make up more than 60 percent of the population,” Nteranya said. “Young people are finding careers in agribusiness, and IITA aims to strengthen their capacity to inform future action plans for local communities and up to national governments, the business sector and international community.”

The research highlighted the dire need for inclusive and “youth-friendly” policies in agribusiness and rural economic activities. Many young people leave rural areas and what is stereotyped as low-paying and unattractive work for the cities – and this needed to change.

With over 60% of all employed women in sub-Saharan Africa working in agriculture and producing up to 80% of foodstuffs for household consumption and sale in local markets, research on their roles in the sector were also crucial.

Harnessing the agricultural sector was key to the continent’s economies, and successful agricultural practices would lessen rural household’s reliance on bought food – especially given that even rural families buy around 50 percent of their food.

Overall, the research challenged common stereotypes and narratives, and the coverage of the project IPS has highlighted this. It also focused on evidence-based research in sub-Saharan Africa to highlight possible solutions for many countries and the continent.

The researchers suggested changes – from the specific, like a revamp of the N-Power Agro Programme in Nigeria to articulating the urgency needed to remove gender biases from land ownership, credit, and employment practices.

Researchers probed the use of ICT technologies by women farmers. Their successes in certain agricultural practices were celebrated – like the Tanzanian women farmers who have fewer postharvest failures in vegetable production and marketing.

IPS was engaged in capacity building and training for journalists and rural youth. The first two of three workshops was held in 2018 was held in Ibadan, Nigeria. The most recent in 2020 was held remotely. In all three workshops, the skillsets of young rural journalists were enhanced by a deeper understanding of the sector on the African continent.

As the CARE project closes, IPS are pleased to publish a special edition of in depth opinions, views, interviews and stories of the young researchers and their findings during this crucial venture.